Buckle.



G. M. HUBBARD.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEQ, 190s.

946,917. Patented Jau. 18,1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. HUBBARD, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. @c E. T. FITCH CO., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

BUCKLE.

To all whom tt may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New I-Iaven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the gures of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specication, and represent, in-

Figure l a top or plan view of a buckle constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 an underside view of the same. Fig. 8 a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 a perspective view of the tongue, detached.

This invention relates to an improvement in buckles, and particularly to belt buckles of the so called clamping type; that is, a buckle in which the strap is held by clamping as distinguished from buckles which are provided with pointed tongues to engage with perforations in the strap, the object of the invention being to provide a clamp buckle which will firmly hold the strap but which may be readily disengaged therefrom; and the invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claim.

In carrying out my invention I employ a buckle frame comprising sides 2, 3, rear bar 4 to which the strap is attached and a forward or clamping bar 5 against which the free end of the strap 4is held. The frame is also provided with a tongue or clamping bar 6 and preferably with a stop bar 7. The tongue or clamp 8 is formed from a strip of sheet metal doubled together and secured by Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 9, 1909.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

serial No. 501,042.

a rivet 9. Before riveting the strip is folded over the bar 6 and on opposite sides the metal is struck out to form a chamber lO for the reception of a coil spring 1l which bears against the bar 6 and forces the tongue or clamp forward. The outer ends 12 and 13 of the clamp are slightly separated, and preferably the inner member is slightly longer than the outer member. The spring tends to crowd the tongue or clamp toward the front bar 5. The free end 14 of the strap is passed between the front bar 5 and the edge of the tongue or clamp and the tongue or clamp forced inward so as to securely hold the strap against the forward bar 5, and in this position the direction of the tongue is slightly inward, the inward movement of which, however, is limited by the stop bar 7. IVhile the strap is securely held in place, a pull upon the free end will spring the clamp out of its locking position and so that the strap is readily released.

I claim A buckle consisting of a frame comprising side bars, a transverse tongue bar, a front bar, and a transverse stop bar adjacent to the front bar, a sheet metal tongue folded over the tongue bar, recesses formed in the inner faces of the said tongue, the ends of the tongue brought together, a spring in said recesses and bearing against the tongue and tending to crowd it toward the front bar.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE M. HUBBARD. Witnesses:

FREDERIC C. EARLE, CLARA L. VVEED. 

